Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support tower, particularly for a wind turbine.
More specifically, the invention concerns a support tower, particularly for an offshore wind turbine.
Support tower suggested according to the invention can be in any case conveniently used to support also different very heavy apparatuses different from a wind generator, to be installed offshore at a set height with respect to the sea level, such as a military monitoring unit, or a power generator.
Brief Discussion of the Related Art
In the following, the specification will be addressed to the installation of an offshore wind generator, but it is well evident that the same must not be considered limited to this specific application, being the same support tower applicable also to any kind of wind system, or for ground wind systems.
Growing needing of obtaining always bigger outlet power from wind generators requires the use of blades having remarkable dimensions and weight, and consequently support structures, or support towers that are resistant and obviously higher than the blade length.
Installation offshore of wind systems with large power therefore requires handling and use of cranes and large other lifting means that can lift and place in the proper position towers realised to sustain wind generators and their blades.
Standard techniques for installation offshore of wind systems—i.e. wind turbines—provided, after the installation of the foundation structure on ocean floor and transportation of support tower to the installation site, overturning of the latter from a horizontal position, corresponding to the position in which it is transported, to the vertical operative position.
Said method for installing a wind tower requires the use of a ship provided with a crane having a loading arm longer than the height of the tower to be installed, in order to permit vertical positioning of the latter.
Further, to install a traditional wind tower under safety conditions, it is necessary, before relevant overturning, perfectly stabilizing the ship provided with the lifting crane with respect to sea surface.
The use of the above mentioned operative means to install traditional wind towers is however particularly expensive and strongly influenced by weather—climatic conditions.
For example, it is noted that rental of a ship provided with a crane to install a traditional wind tower of about 120 m height involves the payment of many thousands of Euros.
Therefore, taking into consideration very high installation costs by presently available technologies, it is often considered not convenient installing offshore a large power wind system, since economic advantages deriving from the same would be strongly limited by high costs for its installation.